Leadership
Blair County Youth Retreat Begins TodayThe eighth class of The Chamber’s Leadership Blair County Youth program begins today with the first day of a two-day retreat at the Laurel Lodge in
Duncansville.The class is comprised of twenty-four sophomore students from
BlairCounty
high schools.Once the retreat is completed, the class will have one full-day session each month culminating in a graduation ceremony in May, 2012.

"Business After Hours" Set for Baker MansionAs hard as it is to believe, many lifelong residents of
BlairCounty
have never been to
BakerMansion
.Just as hard to believe is the fact that many business men and women who rely on a solid client base for their success don’t know a great networking opportunity when they see one.Wouldn’t it be great to kill two birds with one stone?You can this Thursday by attending the next Chamber Business After Hours from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at
BakerMansion
.The event is hosted by the Blair County Historical Society and promises to be a great night out for anyone looking to mix work and fun.The cost for Chamber members is just $5.00 in advance and $6.00 at the door.To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.

August
“Breakfast Club” to Feature Dynamic Speaker, TopicAt its monthly Breakfast Club on August 18th at The Casino at
LakemontPark
, The Chamber departs from its usual business-specific topics to focus attention on a growing problem primarily aimed at young people who spend considerable time on the internet.Craig S. LeCadre of the State Attorney General’s Office, a frequent presenter at
LeadershipBlairCounty
sessions, will present, “Sticks & Stones: Cyber Bullying.”The often-graphic presentation is a must-attend for parents and educators.The program itself runs a little longer than most Breakfast Club presentations so this one will begin at 7:30 a.m. and will conclude at 9:15.Corporate sponsor for the Breakfast Club is MedExpress.The
cost to attend is $16 per person and includes a full breakfast buffet.To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online at www.blairchamber.com.

Some Sponsorships Still Available for Chamber Television Program

Severe cuts in state funding for higher education is just one of several factors that colleges in the region face as they look for new and better ways to meet the needs of area students.What’s the strategy going forward?That will be one key discussion point as The Chamber brings top educators together for its next “Issues” program which will tape August 23rd at
the Altoona Public Access Studio.The program will then run throughout September on the Public Access Channel.“The Role of Higher Education in Regional Development” is the title of the hour-long program that will be moderated by WTAJ’s Carolyn Donaldson.Panelists will be: Dr. Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry, Chancellor of Penn State Altoona; Dr. Wayne Powel, Provost of Saint Francis
University; Dr. Walter Asonevich, President of Pennsylvania Highlands Community College; Dr. Thomas Kepple, President of Juniata College; and Dr. Thomas Foley, President of Mount Aloysius College.Sponsorships for the program are available at just $150 each.To sponsor, contact Joe Hurd at 943-8151 or email him at jhurd@blairchamber.com.

Nominations Sought for 2011 ACE AwardThe Blair County Chamber’s Farm-City Committee has announced that nominations are now being accepted for the 20th Annual Agricultural Community Excellence (ACE) Award.Activity
and participation in
BlairCounty
community affairs and the promotion of
BlairCounty
agriculture are the criteria used for selection.Nominations may be submitted by individuals, organizations, businesses, farm families and/or through self-nomination.Nomination forms have been faxed over The Chamber’s fax network and will also be a privilege page in the mailed copies of the July Blair Business Mirror.Click
here to secure a form. For questions, contact The Chamber at 943-8151.

Bring-in a New Chamber Member, Enjoy the RewardsWithout question, the best recruiters of potential chamber members are satisfied members themselves.And by successfully bringing-in a new member, it can yield a nice reward for the recruiter.Simply
contact a potential member and have them fill-out a membership application.If they join, we will send you a $25 gift certificate to the Chamber-member business of your choice.Contact Joe Hurd at 943-8151 or email him at jhurd@blairchamber.com for more information.

Interested in Joining a Chamber Committee?

While most Chamber committees take a hiatus during the summer months, most use the time to take stock of future goals and begin to recruit additional members to make themselves more effective.If you’ve ever considered joining a Chamber committee, now is the perfect time.Committee participation will connect you with some great people and will make
your business knowledge more extensive.For a list of Chamber committees, visit The Chamber website at www.blairchamber.com.To sign-up for one (or more), contact Joe Hurd at 943-8151 or email him at jhurd@blairchamber.com.

Curve Boosters Sponsoring Buses for "Blair County Day"The Altoona Curve Booster Club is sponsoring buses to
PNCPark
for “Blair County Day” on Saturday, August 20th.The Pittsburgh Pirates will be playing the Cincinnati Reds beginning at 7:15 p.m.Fireworks will follow the game.The cost for a box seat ticket and bus transportation is just $60.Reservations can be made by calling Duane Bordell at 944-2585.

Congratulations.... . . to Dongell Chiropractic which was approved as a new member of The Chamber by the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors last week.

Blue Card Discount offers

Here are a few of the discounts you can receive with your Chamber Blue Card. Click here to see the full list of Blue Card Discounts. To have an offer listed contact Stacy Hoover at The Chamber at 943-8151.